The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-02-17
BOOK NOTICES.
From III. T." (Hudson Tuttle, the
eminent ethical writer) in the Re-
ligio- Philosophical journal Of
January 8th. 1881


ligio-Philosophical journal Of
January 8th, 1887.
FINE AS EXISTS IN OUR LANGUAGE.
CONSOLATION AND OTHER PO-|
EMS, PIP: l22, l2mo. New York:
Brentano Bros.
Mr.. Miller, the author of this charm
ing little volume, has for many years
been editor of the Worthington,
(Minn.,) ADVANCE, and his poems
have had wide circulation through
the columns Of newspapers. He is
thoroughly western, with broad views
and honest liberality, clear and Incl
sive mind which detects the narrow
ness of conservatism aud scOrDS to pal.
late wrong, condone sin in high
places, and sham what he is not. He
makes not fine verses for the verses
sake, but he has something to say, and
he finds that he best expresses himself
metrically. He has thrown his poems
into three groups, Religious, Ut the
War Period, and Miscellaneous. In
the first and most lengthy, there is as
fine word painting of natural phenom-
ena as exists in our language. In the
Ghost, Mr.. Miller has taken 1.-The
Raven" as his model, substituting q
loved spirit for the raven, and well
succeeding in introducing the spiritual
philosophy. He felt the presence, and
smelled the delicious fragrance of jes-
samine. when he saw an ''opalescent
disk" rise from the floor; from
"Whence luminous mist or vapor. shaped and
Rose upon tie air beside me and the carpet
| f1"ated DER:
And this radiant apparition opened like flower
And / saw the loveliest vision ever mortal saw
| before
For there stood the fairest ghost that ever
| Stood and smiled, and nothing more!
Fashioned like maiden slender, and with lumi.
| nous eyes and tender,
| This fair ghost looked out upon me with love
| divine and pure.
After the ghost has Illuminated the
philosophy of life she passed into va
por, leaving only "halo and glory" :"
and now in the delight OF a new found
life, the poet may we'll sing a song Of
triumph:
with light above the sunlight there upon my
And that Light my soul is saving-in that Light
| my soul Is laving,
All The ills of time out-braving till meet her
on that shore,
And my soul int that Heaven which isimaged
| on the floor
Shall be lifted evermore!"
| With true prophetic fire he says of
THE Race"
''Whatcver may, in Time befall.
i Must end in love and right at last;
To-day Is better than the past,
And Love must OWN and govern all.
And from earth's dust and toll and strife,
i And from ife's transient pains and cares.
The race constructs the unseen stairs
And climbs into higher life."
In the same strain is the following:
"Toll on, We millions and rejoice,
The morning star is in the sky;
Day iawus. and like the sky larks voice,
Fall the glad tidings from on high.
And ye who read the times Alright
| Can see how we'll the work goes on.
The red Dawn driving back the Night,
The whole world turning to the SUM-"
The war poems are from the poet t's
personal experience, and are among
the best of the book.
Space forbids giving the lengthy ex-
tracts which tempt the reviewer. Mr..
Miller is embued with the spiritual
conception of life here and hereafter,
and is essentially a poet Of the new
age. II. Il.